Coil forming machine



March 7, 1939.

G. M. PRENTICE COIL FORMING MACHINE Filed Aug. 5l, 1938 of j@ Mfg/f2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY,

Patented Mar. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES PATET oFFicE White & Wyckoff Mfg. Co., Holyoke,

Mass., a

corporation of Massachusetts Application August 31,

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for forming a coil or helix from wire and this application is a continuation in part of an application filed by me on June 6, 1938, Ser. No.

According to the principal objects of this invention, a machine is provided for forming coils from wire which is characterized by novel means for controlling the length of the coil being formed l and as coils are formed successively they are cut off so that successive coils of a predetermined length are provided.

Various other novel features and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter more fully rel ferred to in connection with the accompanying description of the preferred form of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a front elevational View of a machine embodying the novel features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevational view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational View looking at the machine from the left in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram to explain certain features of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing more in invention will be fully described.

A base plate is provided which is shown at 2 and on this there is a hollow base 4 which encloses certain parts of the mechanism. On the upper side of base 4 there are a, pair of vertically extending spaced apart plates such as 6.

A lower shaft 8 is rotatable in the members is and an upper shaft I0 is journalled in bearing blocks IS that are slidable, up and down, relative to the shaft 8 in slots provided in members 6, as shown. Rolls i2 and I4 having peripheral grooves are carried by the shafts 8 and Ill and when the said rolls are close together in feeding relation they feed wire for forming into a coil.

The shafts 8 and I0 carry intermeshing gears i6 whereby said shafts are operatively connected. A lever 2li is pivoted at 22 to one of the members 6 and has its outer end pivotally connected at 24 to a link 2t.

The link in turn is connected at 28 to the movable member 30 of a solenoid 32. And an adjusting member 35 in threaded engagement with the lever 2B is arranged to engage the upper side of a box or boxes I8. A spring 34 below said box or boxes I8 tends to urge the same upwardly to separate the rolls 8 and I0.

When solenoid 32 is energized the member 33 detail the 1938, Serial No. 227,799

thereof is moved downwardly to pull lever 2li' downwardly and depress box I8 causing rolls l2 and I4 to feed wire forwardly. When current is cut off from the solenoid 32 the springs 34 move boxes i8 upwardly thereby separating the rolls I2 and I4 so that the wire is no longer fed thereby.

A worm gear 38 on shaft 8 is in engagement with a worm 4i! of a shaft 42 which is connected to a motor 44. Motor 44 in the operation of the machine is in continuous rotation hence the feeding of the wire is interrupted by separation of rolls i2 and I4. A mandrel 50 in a block 5I receives the wire fed forwardly by the rolls I2 and I4 through guides 43 to form the wire into a coil.

A finger 52 extends upwardly from a shaft 54 in block 56. The finger threadedly engages said shaft 54 so as to be adjustable back and forth and control the itch of the coil being formed.

A cutter 58 slidable up and down in a block 60 is provided for cutting on wire thereby to provide separate coils. A lever member 'I0 is pivoted at 'I2 to a bracket 'E4 and has an adjusting screw 'I6 on its outer end which engages the upper side of cutter 58. The lower end of lever 'I9 is connected by a link 'I8 to the movable member 80 of a solenoid 82.

As the solenoid 82 is energized, lever 'i0 is operated to depress cutter 58 and cut off the wire.

The mechanism described and the operation thereof is like or similar to that described in my pending application above referred to. In the operation thereof, wire is fed forwardly while solenoid 32 is energized. When current is cut off from said solenoid, the solenoid 82 is energized to cut the wire. Thus by energizing solenoid 32 for a predetermined length of time, a coil of predetermined length may be formed.

Mechanism for controlling the action of the solenoids and forming the important features of this invention will now be described.

A shaft 86 is rotatable in bearings 88 associated with a plate 9% and carries a Vpulley 92. Shaft 8 has a pulley S4 fixed thereto which is connected by a belt 35 to pulley 82 so that shaft 86 is driven from shaft 8.

A shaft it rotatable in a bearing ESI has a gear fixed thereto at one end which is in mesh with a gear t of shaft t@ while a gear |02 is fixed to the other end of said shaft.

A shaft 585 has its ends rotatable in blocks I08 and iii) and has iixed thereto spaced gears II2 which are provided on inner sides with clutch teeth for engaging with teeth of a clutch member ii/i, as shown in Fig. 3. The member II4 is slidable but nonrotatable on shaft IEB.

The gears ||2 are in mesh with gear |02 of shaft |00. With shaft |00 being continuously in rotation and in one direction the member ||4 may be moved in one direction or the other to clutch either one or the other of the gears ||2 to shaft |06 and in that way shaft |06 may be rotated in opposite directions.

The shaft |06 is provided with a screw thread as shown and a block |20 in threaded engagement therewith slides back and forth on plate according to the direction of rotation of shaft |06.

An upper shaft or rod is journalled in `blocks |08 and ||0 and it carries a clutch shifter |28 between collars |30 fixed thereon. The shifter |28 is in operative engagement'with clutch member ||4. The shaft |26 is rotatable and reciprocable in the blocks |08 and |0 and asitreciprocates in one direction or the other the shifter 'is caused to move the clutch member.

A nut |32 in threaded engagement with shaft |26 has its lower end formed to loosely embrace shaft |06. As shaft |26 is rotated the nut |32 is moved therealong'and longitudinally of shaft |06.

A cam member |36 for operating a switch mechanism, as will be described, is carried by shaft |26 and a Vmanually engageable member |34 is provided on said shaft to facilitate rotation thereof. By rotating shaft |26 in opposite 30 directions the nut |32 is moved towards and away from cam |30. A switch indicated generally by |40 is provided.V This may take various forms but preferably will consist Vof a member |42 for contacting with contacts |44 and |46. Normally contact |42 is held in contact'with contact |44 by means of a spring indicated by |48.

A plunger |46 slidable in a lblock |48 carries a roll |50 in its forward end and a stem |52 on its rear end engages and acts on member |42 of the switch. A spring |54 acts on plunger |46 to move it to the right or return it to the position shown after the plunger has been depressed by cam |36.

In Fig. 5 vsolenoid 32 is shown as being con-V nected with'solenoid 82 by lines |60 and |62 to the switch mechanism described and'. current supply |64.

In the operation Yof the apparatus the shaft 8 is rotated continuously so lthat kshaft |06 is rotated continuously. Normally, switch member Y |42 is in the position shown so that solenoid 32 is energized and thereby rolls I2 and |4 are in feeding relation so that a coil is formed. `rAs shaft |06 rotates, member |20 is moved thereby in one `direction or the other according tothe direction of rotation of said shaft until said member |20 engages either cam |36 or the member |32. As member |20 engages one of the members on shaft |26, the said shaft is moved axially. As it moves axially the cam |36 acts on lplunger' |46 and the shifter |28 acts on clutch member 4. 4

As plunger |46 is depressed switch member |42 leaves contact |44' to break the circuit including solenoid 32, and contacts contact |46 to energize the circuit including solenoid 82. I'hus the feed rolls assume a non-feeding relation to stop the feeding of wire while the cutter cuts off the wire forming a coil.

The parts are so arranged that the cam |36, as shaft 26 is rotated, passes from one side to the other of the axis of roll |50. Thus the cam moves up to and engages the roll, depresses mem-V ber |46 and comes to vrest on the .other side of the roll.

As shifter |28 moves clutch member ||4 the other one of Vthe gears |2 is clutched to shaft |06 to reverse the direction thereof.

In a general way the member |20 travels the distance between cam |36 and member |32 and as it engages one or the other of said members the switch is operated to stop feeding of the wire while the cut-off is actuated. By changing the spacing of members |32 and |36 byrotatlng shaft |26 the length of the coils being formed may be Varied.

While I have described the invention in great detail and with respect to the present preferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limited there- `tosince many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The combination in a machine for Winding successive coils from wire comprising, cooperating roll-s for Vfeeding wire relatively movable vbetween feeding and .non-feeding position, means for maintaining said rolls in feeding relation .including a solenoid, a drive shaft for said feed rolls, means for receiving wire from said feed rolls: and forming the same into a coil, means for cutting off successive coils therefrom includ-y ing a solenoid, separate circuits for said Vsolenoids, and means for alternately opening the said circuits so that the solenoids operate to permit the feed rolls to assume non-feeding positions while the cutting means is operated, 4including a shaft operatively connected .to said drive shaft through a reversing mechanism, and a switch mechanism Vfor said circuits operated by reversal of rotation of said shaft.

2. The combination in a machine for winding successive coils from wire comprising, cooperating rolls for feeding wire relatively movable between feeding and non-feeding positions, means for maintaining said rolls in feeding relation 'in-Y cluding a solenoid, a drive shaft for said feed rolls, means'for receiving Wire from said feed rolls and formingthesame into -a coil, means for cutting `off successivey coils therefrom including a solenoid, separate circuits fo-r said solenoids, Yand means for alternately opening the said circuits so that the solenoids operate to permit lthe feed rolls to assume non-feeding positions while the cutting means is operated, including a threaded shaft, a nut movable back andv forth thereby, a switch device foralternately opening and closing said circuits, reversible driving connections between said first-named shaft and threaded shaft having a movable shifter, and means .operable by said nut to operate said switch device and shifter.

3. The combination` in a machine for winding successive coilsV from wire comprising, cooper'- ating rolls for feeding wire` relatively movable between feeding and non-feeding positions,V

means for maintaining said rolls in feeding relation including a solenoid, a drive shaft for .said feed rolls., means for receiving wire from said feed rolls and forming the same into a coil, means for cutting oi successive coils therefrom including a solenoid, separate circuits for `said solenoids, and means for alternately opening the said circuits so that the solenoids operate toV permit `the feed rolls `to assume non-feeding positions while the cutting means is operated, including a threaded shaft, a nut movable back and forth thereby, a switch device for alternately opening and closing said circuits, reversible driving connections between said rst-named shaft and threaded shaft having a movable shifter, a movable member engageable by said nut having means operatively engageable with said switch device and said shifter.

4. The combination in a machine for winding successive coils from wire comprising, cooperating rolls for feeding wire relatively movable between feeding and non-feeding position, means for maintaining said rolls in feeding relation including a solenoid, a drive shaft for said feed rolls, means for receiving wire from said feed rolls and forming the same into a coil, means for cutting off successive coils therefrom including a solenoid, separate circuits for said solenoids, means for alternately opening the said circuits so that the solenoids operate to cause the feed rolls to assume non-feeding positions while the cutting means is operated, including a threaded shaft, a switch device for alternately opening and closing said circuits, reversible driving connections between said first-named shaft and said threaded shaft having a movable shifter, a member movable in opposite directions having members operatively engageable with said switch device and shifter, a nut on said threaded shaft movable back and forth thereby, and engageable connections associated with said nut and movable member whereby the latter is moved by the former.

5. The combination in a machine for winding successive coils from wire comprising, cooperative rolls for feeding wire relatively movable between feeding and non-feeding positions, a means for maintaining said rollsI in feeding relation, a drive shaft for said rolls, a means for receiving wire from said rolls and for formation into a coil, a means for cutting off successive coils therefrom, solenoids operable by separate circuits, and a means'for alternately opening and closing said circuits so that said solenoids permit said rolls to assume non-feeding positions while said cutting means is operated including a shaft connected to said drive shaft and a switch mechanism for said circuits operated by said shaft.

6. The combination in a machine for winding successive coils from wire comprising, cooperating rolls for feeding wire relatively movable between feeding and non-feeding positions, a means for maintaining said rolls in feeding relation, a. drive shaft for said rolls, a means for receiving wire from said rolls and forming same into a coil, a means for cutting off successive coils therefrom, solenoids operable by circuits, and a means for alternately opening and closing said circuits so said solenoids operate to permit said rolls to assume non-feeding positions while said cutting means is operated including a shaft and a switch device for alternately opening and closing said circuits and reversible driving connections between said drive shaft and the other said shaft, and a member operable by said shaft having a means to operate said switch device.

7. The combination in a machine for winding successive coils from wire comprising, cooperating rolls for feeding wire relatively movable between feeding and non-feeding positions, a means for maintaining said rolls in feeding relation, a drive shaft for said rolls, a means for receiving wire from said rolls and forming same into a. coil, a means for cutting off successive coils therefrom, solenoids operable by circuits, a means for alternately opening and closing said circuits so said solenoids operate to permit said rolls to assume non-feeding positions While said cutting means is operated including a shaft and a switch device for opening and closing said circuits and a member movable on said shaft and a driving connection between said drive shaft and said shaft whereby said member is operatively engageable with said switch device.

8. The combination in a machine for winding successive coils from wire comprising, cooperating rolls for feeding wire relatively movable between feeding and non-feeding positions, a means for maintaining said rolls in feeding relation, a drive shaft for said rolls, a means for receiving wire from said rolls and forming same into a coil, a. means for cutting off successive coils therefrom, solenoids operable by separate circuits, a means for opening and closing said circuits so that said solenoids operate to permit said rolls to assume non-feeding positions while said cutting means is operated including a shaft and a switch device and a driving connection between said drive shaft and said shaft having a movable shifter and a movable member operatively engageable with said switch device and said shifter all adapted and arranged whereby said movable member is' actuated by said shaft.

GEORGE M. PRENTICE. 

